Hair clip

ABSTRACT

A hair clip, comprising two clamping portions, a locating bolt, and a torsional spring. The clamping portions are symmetrically formed and include each an internal side. An accommodation is positioned at the center near the top of the internal side for receiving the torsional spring and providing a pivot room, and the locating bolt is inserted into bolt holes and is then secured in position. The accommodations of the clamping portions include both a cavity corresponding to one side of the torsional spring. In this way, the force exertion legs of the torsional spring are extended into a deep position of the cavities of the accommodations such that a balancing and clamping force may act on the clamping portions. Moreover, the torsional spring is completely enclosed by the cavities of the accommodations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Fields of the Invention

The invention relates to a hair clip, and more particularly, to a structure capable of reducing the manufacturing cost and facilitating the assembly operation. Moreover, the torsional spring made of metal can be fully enclosed.

2. Description of the Related Art

As shown in FIG. 4, a conventional hair clip includes two clamping portions 10. Two force exertion legs 111, 112 of a torsional spring 11 apply a proper clamping force to the clamping portions 10. Such a basic design may achieve the simple, economic, and convenient advantages. However, the torsional spring 11 is exposed outside. In addition to affecting the external appearance, it is easily moistened, oxidized, and corroded as well. In order to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks, a spring hinge for a hair clip (see FIGS. 5 and 6) has been developed and disclosed in CN 97181598.4. According to this structure, a hollow box 13 is formed at the inner face of a clamping portion 12 so that most part of a torsional spring 14 can be hidden and received within the hollow box 13. However, one prolonged force exertion leg 141 projects outside the hollow box 13 to carry out its task in cooperation with clamping portions 16 (having a pair of pivot ears) and a locating bolt 17. Accordingly, the above-mentioned components are assembled to create this conventional structure.

After the assembly of the above-mentioned structure is finished, most of the torsional spring 14 is hidden. However, the prolonged force exertion leg 141 is still exposed outside. Therefore, the drawback to be improved is not fully eliminated. Meanwhile, the clamping portions 12, 16 are differently formed, thereby causing much trouble in assembly and leading to an unnecessary loss. In this way, the manufacturing and assembly cost will be undesirably and additionally increased. Due to the different length of the force exertion legs 141, 142 of the torsional spring 14, both of the clamping portions 12, 16 can't be uniformly subject to a balance force when they are opened and closed. The above-mentioned points require further improvements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the invention is to provide a hair clip having two clamping portions with a uniform shape for avoiding the potential loss in the assembly operation. Meanwhile, the torsional spring together with two force exertion legs 41 may be fully enclosed, thereby reducing the possibilities to be moistened, oxidized, and corroded. Moreover, the force exertion legs at both sides of the torsional spring have the same length such that both clamping portions are subject to the same force in an equilibrium state when they are opened and closed. In this way, all of the potential drawbacks of the conventional structure may be eliminated.

According to the invention, the clamping portions are symmetrically formed and include each an internal side. An accommodation is positioned at the center near the top of the internal side for receiving the torsional spring and providing a pivot room, and the locating bolt is inserted into bolt holes and is then secured in position. The accommodations of the clamping portions include both a cavity corresponding to one side of the torsional spring. In this way, the force exertion legs of the torsional spring are extended into a deep position of the cavities of the accommodations such that a balancing and clamping force may act on the clamping portions. Moreover, the torsional spring is completely enclosed by the cavities of the accommodations

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accomplishment of this and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and its accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the invention according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the embodiment of the invention according to FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a conventional hair clip;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional hair clip according to CN 97181598.4; and

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the conventional hair clip according to CN 97181598.4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention will now be described in more detail hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings that show various embodiments of the invention.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a hair clip in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention includes two clamping portions 20, a locating bolt 30, and a torsional spring 40.

The clamping portions 20 are symmetrically formed and include each an internal side 21. An accommodation 22 is positioned at the center near the top of the internal side 21 for receiving the torsional spring 40 and providing a pivot room. The locating bolt 30 is inserted into bolt holes 23 and is then secured in position. The accommodations 22 of the clamping portions 20 include both a cavity 24 corresponding to one side of the torsional spring 40.

The locating bolt 30 is inserted into the bolt holes 23 of the accommodations 22 for establishing a pivotal connection of all components, thereby accomplishing the assembly task.

The torsional spring 40 includes force exertion legs 41 having the same length at both ends thereof. The force exertion legs 41 are received in a fully enclosed manner within the cavities 24 of the accommodations 22 of the clamping portions 20.

Based on the assembly of the above-mentioned components, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the force exertion legs 41 of the torsional spring 40 are extended into a deep position of the cavities 24 of the accommodations 22 such that a balancing and clamping force may act on the clamping portions 20. Moreover, the torsional spring 40 is completely enclosed by the cavities 24 of the accommodations 22.

In brief, the hair clip in accordance with the invention may achieve the following advantages:

-   -   1. The torsional spring 40 is completely enclosed by the         accommodations 22.     -   2. The clamping portions 20 are uniformly formed such that the         torsional spring 40 may be easily placed into the cavities 24 of         the accommodations 22. In this way, the production and the         assembly thereof can be done more easily.     -   3. The structure in accordance with the invention is applicable         to any kind of hair clips without any problem.     -   4. The clamping portions 20 are uniformly formed. In other         words, there's no difference between the right and left clamping         portions 20. Accordingly, a potential loss in assembly is         avoided.     -   5. The force exertion legs 41 at both sides of the torsional         spring 40 have the same length. As a result, both clamping         portions 20 are subject to the same force in an equilibrium         state.

6. The clamping portions 20 are integrally formed. Their components are very compact, thereby considerably reducing the manufacturing cost.

Many changes and modifications in the above-described embodiments of the invention can, of course, be carried out without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, to promote the progress in science and the useful arts, the invention is disclosed and is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A hair clip, comprising two clamping portions, a locating bolt, and a torsional spring, wherein the clamping portions are symmetrically formed and include each an internal side, and an accommodation is positioned at the center near the top of the internal side for receiving the torsional spring and providing a pivot room, and the locating bolt is inserted into bolt holes and is then secured in position, and the accommodations of the clamping portions include both a cavity corresponding to one side of the torsional spring; wherein the locating bolt is inserted into the bolt holes of the accommodations for establishing a pivotal connection of all components, thereby accomplishing the assembly task; and wherein the torsional spring includes force exertion legs having the same length at both ends thereof, and the force exertion legs are received in a fully enclosed manner within the cavities of the accommodations of the clamping portions.
 2. The hair clip as recited in claim 1, wherein the force exertion legs of the torsional spring are extended into a deep position of the cavities of the accommodations.
 3. The hair clip as recited in claim 1, wherein the torsional spring is completely enclosed by the accommodations of the clamping portions. 